


Bruised: A Love Story in Three Conversations

by karrenia_rune



Category: X-Factor (Comics)
Genre: F/M, X-Factor Investigations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-12-05
Updated: 2010-12-05
Packaged: 2017-10-13 13:07:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/137694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karrenia_rune/pseuds/karrenia_rune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A late-night conversation, a night on the town cause Jamie and Layla to realize that they have a lot more in common<br/>than either might have believed possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bruised: A Love Story in Three Conversations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Malana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Malana/gifts).



Disclaimer: X-Factor Investigations belongs to Marvel Comics, etc., its respective creators etc., as do the characters who appear here or are mentioned; they are not mine. Written for malana's request in the 2010 Yuletide Rare Fandom Fic Exchange.

"Bruised: A Love Story in Three Conversations and One Fight Scene"

_‘Have you ever had one of those days when you felt as if everything seems like a good idea until you actually put into practice? I have. In fact I've had several of those in succession. Layla tells me it’s because I'm prone to second-guess myself, even when the idea seems quite workable.’_

_‘She also tells me that I shouldn't do it. However, we've gotta explore all the paths no matter where they lead until we find the right one. Sheesh! It's enough to give anyone a headache, and yet I think I love her.’_

“Does that sound completely insane to you? Damn it, Maddrox, now you're not only talking to yourself, you‘re actually replying to yourself!” Jamie muttered out loud, then turned on his heel.

He had lost track of time from indulging in his inner monologue that by now his friends and teammates have come to expect from him.

All of which made Jamie wonder if they had worked together for so long that they not only tolerated each other’s personality quirks, but are even becoming a bit predictable.

***  
Layla observed Jamie Maddrox indulge in his inner monologue with a mixture of amusement and impatience. She does not have to be a telepath to understand that this is his method and his particular madness; and it works for him.

_‘Fight the future, but we still gotta live in the present. She also figures that because she is technically no longer a kid anymore—and that itself is a long story with more than a couple of hitches in it—Jamie might think of her more than just the annoying tag-along who ‘knows stuff.’_

While the thought that her presence, let alone her sense of belonging, is difficult at best; it's more or less the reason they avoid openly discussing it.

Somehow she has come to both understand and know Maddrox in ways that he might not understand himself. She thinks she is falling in love with him, and he might be falling in love with her.

***  
“I didn’t see you standing there,” Jamie remarks in an off-hand way that implies that as preoccupied as he gets when nattering on; he should still be aware of his surroundings.

Layla shrugged and reached over to grab both of his hands in hers and said, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think we need to talk.”

For his part Jamie did not pull away at either the initial contact or the statement that followed it. He nodded and did not resist the tug as they entered the living room, currently unoccupied this late into the evening.

Once they are both sitting down on the couch was when Jamie realized that he is stroking the strands of her hair. She lay back against the cushions with a lazy motion that might be mistaken for something other than what it is; however, it’s hard for her to take it easy, not completely.

Jamie paused in mid-stroke and asked. “About what? And should we wake up the rest of the team?”

“No, it’s not like that, so relax,“ Layla shrugged, also pausing in mid-rub realizing that while he’d been stroking her hair she had been unconsciously responding by kneading out some of the worst of the kinks in the knotted muscles of his back.

“Then spill,” Jamie replied and offered her a lop-sided but sincere smile. “I’m all ears, just like the Cheshire Cat.”

Grinning, she laughed. “Yeah, I know. And believe it not you’re cultural reference is apt under the circumstances. For I guess what I’m trying to say, is like the Cat in the story, Am I a cat without a grin, or a grin without a cat?”

“Huh?” Jamie shrugged.

She had come into his life by telling them bits and pieces of what they needed to know, the butterfly effect and all that. Told them all that she just ‘knows stuff.’

“What’s going on with you, Layla?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she began and then trailed off with an equally shaking and a tight little smile of her own, running away from her face as suddenly as it had appeared. “And believe the irony of that statement coming from me is not lost on anyone.”

“Even you can’t know everything,” Jamie replied. “Sheesh, doesn’t that sound completely insane to you?”

“No, not really.”

It’s been difficult going, and they’ve been through a lot together. So have their friends and teammates. Not all of those threats had come in the form of external dangers and challenges overcome and endured.

It’s been said that shared dangers and experiences tend to establish bonds between people no matter how different from each they might be.

“I can’t relate to people, and that’s a problem,” Layla replied. “At least, not the way I can relate to you.”

“We don’t have to do this.” Jamie rolled away from her on the couch and then turned her over so that they were now face-to-face; in the process he nearly rolled off and onto the floor.

The sight of his body twisting to prevent his fall caused her to laugh, and she leapt over to help him back to a seated position on the couch.

Layla paused and then reached up to brush away the strands of hair that had fallen down over his eyes and then sat down again beside him. “I guess, what I’m trying to say…she began and then trailed off, blushing furiously, “is that I love you.” ‘Doesn’t that sound terrible. Here we are, and the only two people on the entire team who seem to want to make a go of making it work are Rictor and Star’.

Jamie also blushed, and then reached over and pulled her in close to his body, and held her tightly. “We’re a pair, aren’t we? I, oh, what the hell, I’m terrible at relating to people, too.”

“I know, Terry’s mentioned it a time or two,” Layla replied quietly.

“Thanks for reminding me,” Jamie muttered under his breath. “But I know what you mean. Oh, I love you too.”

“I’m happy to hear that.” Layla whispered, “so, tell me something else…Do you want to try to make a go of it?”

“Absolutely,” he replied.

***

While strolling up and down 5th Avenue, window-shopping, Jamie realized that he had been serious about trying to make a go of it. No matter how weird and dangerous their lives might be, here they were, arm-in-arm, like an upscale New York couple. In the back of his mind Jamie thought, _'How did that happen? And at this point, what the hell does it matter how?'_

“How much do you think a designer dress costs?” Layla asked.

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask Monet, she’s the sophisticated urbanite on the team.” He replied.

“I think I’d look good in that strapless blue number,” she replied.

“Yeah, now you’re just being mean,” Jamie replied, “because, really, now I’m imagining you in that strapless number. Do you really wanna go there?”

“No, not really. And you tell me that I need to lighten up!” Layla exclaimed.

“It’s getting late, do you want to stop and get something to eat?” He asked.

“Sure, I could eat. I’m thinking Italian. There’s a bistro of some repute about two blocks north of here that Guido recommended,” replied Layla.

“Then let’s go.”

***

The food was excellent, and while the wine was no doubt excellent, neither felt much like drinking, and settled for non-alcoholic sparkling cider. “Did you ever think that we’d make a couple?”

“The waitress seemed to think so,” Jamie replied.

“Jamie,” Layla began and then trailed off twirling the stem of her glass between the fingers of her right hand. “So much of our lives are so damn complicated.”

“Hey, if it wasn’t complicated, I’d start to worry.”

“You do that anyway, no matter if it’s complicated or not,” Layla said.

“Yeah, I know,” he replied.

“I realize that a lot of what comes out of my mouth sounds cryptic. And believe me, it sounds almost as cryptic to me as does to you guys. Rictor is right to be so damned annoyed with me all the time.” Layla shrugged.

“Yeah, so, that’s his way of dealing with you. We all have varied coping mechanisms, and we’re used to your uh, cryptic stylings,” Jamie replied with a shaky grin and took another bite of his lasagna.

“So, what I’m trying to say is, right now…us…this feels right, and I was damn serious about trying to make a go of it,” she replied.

***

A month or two later

 

He figured that after the incident in Latervia and the fact that whatever technology Layla had had either been given by Doc Doom or had purloined; did come in handy when they had been up against a squadron of MRD goons and in several other dust-ups since then.

However, he should have a little talk with her about both what it did and how she had managed to get it out of Latervia. Hell, they should talk about what transpired there in the time she and Star had been held captive. Jamie made a mental note to talk with her. However, time either got away from them or it never came up.

When, one day it did, it happened in a very much roundabout way.  
 __

At the moment he has more pressing worries on his plate. Most of their conversations, even from the very beginning have been roundabout, sprinkled with a good mixture of directness, fumbling, and awkward pauses.

Granted, it’s gotten remarkably better now that he can more or less relate to her as an adult instead of a kid, but it’s still, well….awkward.

In the back of his mind, Jamie thought. _‘Well, good for you, Pal. If you’re gonna have this out with her, you might as well get it over with.’ And then realized that it was not enough to merely think of doing it; he actually had to follow through with action._

He pulled her aside in the office and asked her to shut the door behind her as she came in.

Layla did as she was asked. “What’s up?”

“The glove? Where and how did you get?”

“You know precisely where I got it,” she crisply replied. Seated in the chair reserved for clients, Layla’s back was very straight.

‘Times like these are why I avoid having it out, it’s too uncomfortable, too direct, and way too prone to conversational minefields. ’

“I got it in Latervia and if you think my having it is a risk to the rest of the team, then, say so.”

“I see, you can be direct when you want to,” Jamie muttered under his breath.

“Does my having it, or even using it change things between us, or our friends?” She asked.

“No, yes, oh hell, I don’t know. But I needed to hear you say it.” He replied.

“Consider it said,” she replied. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep it from you, but as I said a week or two earlier, I’m not good at relating to people.

“And as I said, neither am I. It’s why we avoid having it out…even for something as important as this. Can you take it off? I mean, if it’s dangerous for you or those around you to use it…”

“Yes, at least I think so.”

Jamie leaned back in his chair with his arms laced behind his head and heaved a sigh. “Oh, I feel so much better now. I’m glad we had this talk.”

“I promise you one thing, if it does endanger anyone,” Layla replied, “you’ll be the first to know.”

“Okay, okay, fair enough. But I’m going hold you to that promise.”

“No problemo,” she replied and then, in the midst of an awkward silence, they both burst out laughing.

“Sheesh, we really are a pair, or something?” He said. She stood up and propelled herself into his lap, curling up and tugging at the loose ends of his green jacket. “Yeah, we are.”

***

**Author's Note:**

> Much thanks to my beta readers: Nicole and Ishie!


End file.
